Garment finisher



March 21, 1967 L. w. KILLEY 3,310,208

GARMENT FINISHER Filed Oct. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 90 M a fM 85 55INVENTOR.

L/Oyd Will/am Killeg March 21, 1967 1.. w. KILLEY 3,310,268

GARMENT FINISHER Filed Oct. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LloydWilliam Killeg United States Patent Ofitice 3,310,208 Patented Mar. 21,1967 3,310,208 GARMENT FINISHER Lloyd W. Killey, 421 N. Main St.,Monmouth, Ill. 61462 Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,208 Claims. (Cl.22370) This invention relates to garment-finishing machines and, moreparticularly, to an improved garment support for holding the garment inposition during the finishing operation.

Most garments must be supported during finishing or pressing operationson framework which provides support to the irregularly contouredshoulder regions of the garment. Desirably, the framework should projectoutwardly from the neck of the garment substantially similar to theoutward projection of the shoulders of the human body. It is necessary,however, that the framework be of dimensions sufiiciently smaller thanthat of the garment to permit rapid draping of the garment on themachine and also to permit ready removal of the garment when thefinishing operation has been completed. This is particularly true inlarge volume, commercial establishments where the cost of labor formaintaining capable operators is an important factor.

Heretofore, available garment-finishing machines have largely resultedfrom a compromise between the provision of suflicient outwardlyprojecting shoulder supports to support the garment, yet the supportshave been relatively short to facilitate the garment-installingoperation. Expander mechanisms have been uilized to enhance theshoulder-supporting function of the machines. However, the outwardlyprojecting shoulder supports and the necessity for operating theexpander mechanisms of heretofore available machines have materiallyslowed the operation, resulting in less than optimum efiiciency on thepart of the operators of these machines.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention toprovide framework having novel shoulder supports which project outwardlya suflicient distance for providing optimum support to the correspondingregion of a garment, yet which are collapsible to provide the greatestpossible clearance for the unhampered dressing of the form.

Another important object of this invention is to provide shouldersupports which generally conform to the outline of the human body andare thus able to correctly support the irregular contour of the garmentwithout wrinkling. This results in a better finished neck or collar linefor the garment.

A further object of the invention is to provide shoulder supports whichare selectively extensible to accommodate garments of a variety ofsizes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide garment-supportingframework for a finishing machine which may be readily adjustedvertically to adapt the machine for operators of different heights andfor garments of a variety of lengths.

Other important objects of the instant invention reside in the featuresof the improved construction which permit readyadaptation of theinvention into existing garment finishing machines, power operation ofthe vertical adjustment of the form, and ready access through the formto critical components of the machine for adjustment and repair of thelatter. These and other important objects of the invention will befurther explained or will become apparent from the followingspecification.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a garment finishing machineembodying one form of the instant invention, parts being broken away toreveal details of construction;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the garment support,parts being broken away for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the garment support of FIG. 1 withthe shoulder support elements illustrated in their garment-supportingpositions, parts being broken away to reveal details of construction;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 butillustrating a modified form of garment support;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, longitudinal, vertical cross-sectional view ofone shoulder support element, parts being broken away to reveal detailsof construction;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG.3; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of a steamoutlet for a garment finishing machine, the nozzle thereof being shownin vertical cross section to reveal details of construction.

Referring initially to the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the finishing machine broadly numerated 10 includes abase 12 and an upright garment-supporting frame or support 14 rotatablymounted on base 12. Frame 14 is adapted to support a porous, bag-likeair and steam deflector (not shown). Base 12 includes a housing 16 forblower means 18, housing 16 being in fluid communication with a closedvessel 20 having an annular opening 22 (FIG. 4) in the top thereof. Asteam receiver 24 in vessel 20 is in fluid communication with an uprightmanifold 26 having a plurality of outlet ports 28 provided therein forconducting steam from the receiver 24 through manifold 26, and to agarment supported on frame 14.

A plug 30 in the upper end of manifold 26 serves to close the latter andhas an upwardly extending portion 32 integral therewith. The lowerrecessed end of an upright support member 34 is telescoped over portion32 and the latter serves to center frame 14 over opening 22.

A neckpiece 36 is mounted at the upper end of support member 34 andfront and rear elongated, generally upright backing members 38 and 40respectively are secured to neckpiece 36 and depend therefrom asillustrated in FIG. 1. Members 38 and 40 are of channel construction andserve as backing members for garment clamps 42 and 44. Clamps 42 and 44are of conventional construction, form no part of the instant inventionper se, and need not be further described. The lowermost ends of members38 and 40 are telescoped over upright channel members 46 and 48respectively, as illustrated best in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Members 46 and 48 are secured to an annular rim 50, the lower edge ofwhich is secured to an annular, outwardly extending flange 52 disposedaround opening 22 in vessel 20. Suitable gasket means (not shown) may beinterposed between flange 52 and the upper surface of vessel 20 toprovide a fluid-tight seal between vessel 20 and frame 14. It will beunderstood that clamps 42 and 44 are carried by rim 50 and the bag orair deflector is installed over frame 14 and is preferably tied aroundrim 50 so that air and steam emanating from vessel 20 is directed overthe entire inner surface of a garment to be finished by machine 10.Flange 52 supports the weight of frame 14 on base 12 and is held withrim 50 in concentric relationship to opening 22 by the upright portion32 of plug 30.

Each of the upright members 46 and 48 is provided with a pair ofparallel, longitudinally extending slots 54,

and nut and bolt means 56 in the lower ends of frame members 38 and 40extend through slots 54 for securing the members 46 and 48 to members 38and 40 respectively. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7, a coil spring 58is received over each bolt 56 and its corresponding nut with one end ofeach spring 58 engaging member 46 or 48. Thus, springs 58 serve tofrictionally clamp members 46 and 48 to members 38 and 40 respectively,yet permit sliding of the corresponding members with respect to eachother as bolts 56 are moved along slots 54. The compression of springs58 serve to hold the frame members in any predetermined telescopedrelationship. A cross member 60, having opposed ends thereof secured tothe members 38 and 40 respectively, embraces support member 34 forimparting structural rigidity to frame 14.

A slide 62 is telescoped over member 34 for longitudinal slidingmovement with respect to the latter. A pin 64, extending outwardly fromslide 62, pivotally couples the latter to a pair of links 66 which, inturn, are pivotally coupled to a pair of elongated arms 68. One end ofeach arm 68 is pivotally secured to a bracket 70 and the latter isrigidly secured to member 34 intermediate the ends of the latter.

An elongated, tubular support element 72 is provided for each side ofneckpiece 36 and each element 72 is pivotally coupled to the latter forswinging movement on opposed sides of the upright support member 34through vertical arcs and about spaced, parallel, horizontal axes.Elongated, longitudinally extending slots 74 in each of the elements 72receive therethrough pin means 76 which serve to pivotally couple theupper ends of arms 68 to elongated, tubular sections or extensions 78which are received in telescoped relationship within elements 72, asillustrated best in FIG. 5.

A manually operable lever 81) is coupled with slide 62 for shifting thelatter longitudinally along member 34. The construction and operation oflever 80 and the connecting structure coupling the latter to slide 62may be of the type illustrated and described in United States LettersPatent No. 2,805,009, issued to N. C. Jackson, on September 3, 1957.Reference may be had to this patcut for a full and complete descriptionof such manually operable structure and the same need not be fully andcompletely described herein in the interest of brevity. It sufiices tosay that slide 62 is coupled to lever 80 in such manner that shifting ofthe latter along slot 82 in neckpiece 36 moves slide 62 longitudinallyalong member 34. This, in turn, causes arms 68 to be moved frompositions lying substantially along member 34 to the position thereofillustrated best in FIG. 3 with the arms 68 extending outwardly frommember 34 at an angle. When arms 68 are lying alongside member 34 asillustrated in FIG. 2, the elements 72 are swung to positions as shown,with the elements hanging substantially vertically and in generalalignment with the upright axis of frame 14.

When lever 80 is moved to the position thereof shown in FIG. 3, theoutward swinging of arms 68 cause the elements 7 2 to be swung throughrespective arcs to the positions of angularity with respect to theupright axis of frame 14 as illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be noted thatthe upper ends of the arms 68 shift the pin means 76 for each element 72outwardly along the respective slots 74. Such shifting movement not onlyswing the elements 72 to the positions thereof as illustrated, but alsocauses the extensions 78 to be shifted outwardly beyond the outermostends of the elements 72, whereby the shoulder-supporting portionsofframe 14 are substantially extended. The lengths of the arms 68 andthe positions of the slots 74 are chosen so that the position of theelements 72 and the corresponding extensions '78, when extended, assumea contour approximating the contour of the shoulder portion of the humanbody for properly supporting the shoulder portions of the garment duringthe finishing operation.

In operation, frame 14 is normally draped with a porous bag-like memberas previously explained. Lever is shifted to the position as illustratedin FIG. 2 which causes the shoulder support element 72 to collapse asindicated. The form can then be quickly and easily dressed with thegarment to be finished and there is substantially no outwardlyprojecting shoulder support structure to retard the dressing operation.Lever 80 is then moved to cause the shoulder support elements to swingoutwardly for receiving and supporting the garment thereon.

The dressing operation can be enhanced if the form 14 is adjusted to avertical height compatible with the comfortable working height of theoperator. This can be simply and easily achieved by the operator merelygrasping the upper section of frame 14 (that portion above the members46 and 48) and lifting the upper frame section. The springs 58 maintainthe frame section in any selected position and hold the latter in suchposition during the finishing operation. Obviously, if frame 14 isinitially taller than desired, the operator can merely press down on theframe to telescope the upper section on members 46 and 48. Clamps 42 and44 are manipulated to clamp the garment as is well known, and steam andair is directed through opening 22 and into the garment.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be noted that heating means 84, including asteam line 86, is disposed in the air passage between blower 18 andvessel 20 for heating the air which is directed through opening 22.During periods of hot weather or the like, the air may not need to beheated. It is often desirable that cool at be discharged through machine10 in order to provide for maximum operator comfort throughout thefinishing operation. Accordingly, a solenoid actuated valve 88 isinterposed in steam line 86 and is operably coupled through electricalcircuitry (not shown) to a temperature-responsive transducer 90 foroperating valve 88 when the ambient temperature reaches a predetermineddegree. This operates to inactivate heating means 184 during suchperiods of high ambient temperature so that the air blown by blower 18through opening 22 is not further heated.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a modified frame 114 is fragmentarilyillustrated in position on base 12. Frame 114 includes a first section115- and a second section -117 secured in telescoped relationship onfirst section 115 in much the same manner as the two sections of frame14 which have been previously described. It should be noted, however,that outwardly extending flange 152 is provided with a plurality ofdepending, vertical shafts 153 spaced around the circumference of flange152, and each shaft 153 journals a roller 155 thereon. The rollers 155engage the inner annular rim of opening 22 and serve to center frame 114over the opening 22.

A fluid piston and cylinder assembly broadly designated 157 has thecylinder 159 thereof mounted on plug 130 at the upper end of manifold26. The piston 161 of assembly 157 is secured to the lowermost end of anupright central frame member 134 which may otherwise be identical withmember 34. Ports 163 in cylinder 159 are adapted to be coupled withpressurized fluid conduit means (not shown) which communicate with asource of pressurized fluid for operating assembly 157. Valve means 165may be operably associated with the conduits which supply fluid toassembly 157 and valve 165 is adapted to be positioned on the flooradjacent form 114 so that the operator can cause the piston 161 to beextended or retracted by operation of valve 165. Thus, the operator canadjust the vertical height of frame 114 by operation of assembly 157. Itwill be noted in FIG. 4 that springs 58 have been omitted from the bolt156 to permit free sliding movement of section 117 with respect tosection 115 as assembly 157 is operated.

It has been desirable to provide a frame 167 including a pair of uprightstandards 169 rigidly secured to a cross member 171 carried by firstsection 115. Standards 169 project upwardly above cylinder 159 andsupport a pair of cross members 173 disposed to be engaged by crossmember 160 when the upper section 117 of frame 114 reaches the lowermostend of its vertical path of travel. Thus, the weight of the uppersection 117 of frame 114 can be supported by frame 167 during periods ofnonuse of the finishing machine to prevent undue strain on assembly 157.It will be understood that the upper portions of frame 114 (not shown)may be identical with those portions of frame 14.

In FIG. 4, a permeable form 175 is partially illustrated in dashed lineposition on frame 114. It is contemplated that the vertical adjustmentfeature of either frame 14 or 114 will be compensated for by theprovision of an annular, semi-rigid hoop 177 which may be of wire,featherbone, whalebone, or the like. Hoop 177 is secured to form 175 bymeans of stitching or the like. A plurality of cords or wires 179 aresecured to hoop 177 at spaced intervals therearound, pass throughpulleys 181 carried by the inner surface of rim 150, and are secured tosprings 183 which are fastened to a rigid frame cross member 185extending between upright members 146 and 148. Thus, form 175 is kepttaut by springs 185 at any selected vertical adjustment of therespective forms 14 and 114.

Referring now to FIG. 8, an alternate steam discharging apparatus,broadly designated 125, is illustrated. It has been found thatsatisfactory results can be obtained in the operation of machine and thelatter can be substantially simplified if a closed, tubular manifold 126is utilized in place of manifold 26 hereinabove described. A lateralpipe 127 communicates with manifold 126 and terminates in a T-shapeddischarge nozzle 129. The latter has upwardly and downwardly directedports 128. A solenoid valve 131 is interposed in pipe 127 and serves tocontrol the flow of steam therethr-ough. Apparatus 125 eliminates thenecessity for steam flow control structure associated with receiver 24and permits ready access to the interior of vessel for service andmaintenance operations as may be necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a garment finishing machine, a garment support comprising:

an upright member;

a pair of elongated, rigid arms pivotally coupled to the memberintermediate to the ends thereof;

a pair of elongated shoulder support elements;

means pivotally coupling one end of the respective elements to oppositesides of the member for swinging through arcs from respective firstpositions with the elements extending in general alignment with thelongitudinal axis of the member to garment-supporting positions witheach element extending outwardly at an angle from said axis, the armsbeing pivotally coupled to the elements intermediate the ends of thelatter and at points on the member spaced longitudinally thereof fromthe point of coupling of the elements to said member;

a slide carried by the member for manual shifting movementlongitudinally therealong; and

a link for each arm respectively, each link being pivotally coupled withthe slide and with the corresponding arm between the points of pivotalcoupling of the arm to the member and the corresponding element, wherebymanual shifting of the slide swings said elements into and out of saidgarmentsupporting position, each element comprising an elongated,tubular first section pivotally coupled to said member, and an elongatedsecond section telescoped into said first section, the latter beingprovided with a longitudinally extending slot, and pin means extendingthrough the slot and secured to the second section and to thecorresponding arm for shifting the second section longitudinally of thefirst section when the elements are swung through said arcs by saidarms.

2. In a garment finishing machine: a base; an upright,garment-supporting frame, said frame including a first upright sectionmounted on the base, and a second section telescoped on said firstsection for vertical shifting movement with respect thereto;

means slidably securing said second section to the first section;

a fluid piston and cylinder assembly operably coupled to the secondsection; and

means mounting said assembly to the base for vertical shifting of thesecond section with respect to the base when the assembly is operated,said base including a vessel having a circular opening in the topthereof, the frame being disposed on the base over said opening, and aplurality of rollers mounted on the first section and extendinginto saidopening, each roller being disposed for rotation on a vertical axis, theouter periphery of each roller being disposed to engage the edge of saidopening for maintaining the frame in alignment over the opening when theframe is rotated with respect to the base.

3. The invention of claim 2, the first section including a generallyhorizontally extending plate presenting a flat surface disposed insliding engagement on the top of said vessel, said rollers being mountedon the bottom surface of said plate.

4. In a garment finishing machine, an upright frame member;

a pair of elongated shoulder support elements;

means pivotally coupling the elements to opposite sides of the memberrespectively, there being a first position for each element with therespective elements extending generally in longitudinal alignment withthe upright axis of said frame member, each of said elements comprisingan elongated first section pivotally coupled adjacent one end thereof tothe member, and a second elongated section shiftably secured to thefirst section in telescoped relationship therewith for movementlongitudinally of said first sections; and

manually operable actuating structure including a pair of elongatedlinks and means pivotally interconnecting each link with the uprightmember and with the second section of a corresponding element forswinging the elements through said respective arcs and for shifting saidsecond sections longitudinally with respect to the corresponding firstsection responsive to manual operation of said structure for extendingthe outermost ends of each second section outwardly beyond the outermostends of the corresponding first sections when said elements are in saidgarment-supporting positions.

5. In a garment finishing machine, an upright garment supportcomprising:

an upright frame member;

a pair of elongated shoulder support elements;

means pivotally coupling the elements to opposite sides of the memberrespectively, there being a first position for each element with therespective elements extending generally in longitudinal alignment withthe upright axis of said frame member, each of the elements comprisingan elongated tube having a longitudinally extending slot thereinpivotally coupled adjacent one end of the tube to the member, and asecond elongated section shiftably secured to the tube in telescopedrelationship therewith, the outermost end of the tube extendingoutwardly at least as far as the outermost end of the second sectionwhen the respective elements are in said first positions; and manuallyoperable structure including a slide shiftably carried by said memberfor movement longitudinally therealong, and link means pivotally coupledto the slide and pin means extending through each slot respectively andsecured to corresponding second sections for pivotally coupling thelatter to said link means for shifting the second sections with respectto said tubes to extend the outermost ends of the second sectionsoutwardly beyond the outermost ends of the corresponding tubes and forswinging the elements through respective arcs to garment-supportingpositions thereof with each element extending outwardly in oppositedirections and at an angle with respect to said upright axis of theframe member responsive to manual shifting of the slide along themember.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Gygi 223--70Lendle 22370 Richa et a] 22370 Brenner et al. 22370 X Ma-urer 223-70Paris 22370 10 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A GARMENT FINISHING MACHINE, A GARMENT SUPPORT COMPRISING: ANUPRIGHT MEMBER; A PAIR OF ELONGATED, RIGID ARMS PIVOTALLY COUPLED TO THEMEMBER INTERMEDIATE TO THE ENDS THEREOF; A PAIR OF ELONGATED SHOULDERSUPPORT ELEMENTS; MEANS PIVOTALLY COUPLING ONE END OF THE RESPECTIVEELEMENTS TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE MKEMBER FOR SWINGING THROUGH ARCS FROMRESPECTIVE FIRST POSITIONS WITH THE ELEMENTS EXTENDING IN GENERALALIGNMENT WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE MEMBER TO GARMENT-SUPPORTINGPOSITIONS WITH EACH ELEMENT EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AT AN ANGLE FROM SAIDAXIS, THE ARMS BEING PIVOTALLY COUPLED TO THE ELEMENTS INTERMEDIATE THEENDS OF THE LATTER AND AT POINTS ON THE MEMBER SPACED LONGITUDINALLYTHEREOF FROM THE POINT OF COUPLING OF THE ELEMENTS TO SAID MEMBER; ASLIDE CARRIED BY THE MEMBER FOR MANUAL SHIFTING MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLYTHEREALONG; AND A LINK FOR EACH ARM RESPECTIVELY, EACH LINK BEINGPIVOTALLY COUPLED WITH THE SLIDE AND WITH THE CORRESPONDING ARM BETWEENTHE POINTS OF PIVOTAL COUPLING OF THE ARM TO THE MEMBER AND THECORRESPONDING ELEMENT, WHEREBY MANUAL SHIFTING OF THE SLIDE SWINGS SAIDELEMENTS INTO AND OUT OF SAID GARMENTSUPPORTING POSITION, EACH ELEMENTCOMPRISING AN ELONGATED, TUBULAR FIRST SECTION PIVOTALLY COUPLED TO SAIDMEMBER, AND AN ELONGATED SECOND SECTION TELESCOPED INTO SAID FIRSTSECTION, THE LATTER BEING PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT,AND PIN MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOT AND SECURED TO THE SECONDSECTION AND TO THE CORRESPONDING ARM FOR SHIFTING THE SECOND SECTIONLONGITUDINALLY OF THE FIRST SECTION WHEN THE ELEMENTS ARE SWUNG THROUGHSAID ARCS BY SAID ARMS.